6,162 posts in this topic

Well, let's try not to confuse Freedom (which is one thing) with Privacy amd Security (which are other things).

The three are interrelated. To take an example that we'll all (hopefully) be familiar with, in George Orwell's 1984 the protagonist, Winston Smith, lacked both freedom and security because there was no privacy -- all he did and said was monitored, or reported.

Now, I'm not saying that Microsoft is (yet) monitoring everything we type and everywhere we go on our computers -- but I am asking what the meaning (if any) might be of what that guy on MDL had discovered.

--JorgeA

Yes , that is called Science Fiction, it didn't (yet) happen, as well as Minority Report and the pre-crime do not yet exist, nor Blade Runner, and Skynet didn't - seemingly - gain self-awareness on August 29, 1997. (but if - by any chance - your real name is John Connor, you'd better start to run ).

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from what I read on MDL, the Chinese guy won't release an Aero Glass patch

the guy is commonly known by PCBeta members and admins that he is working in Windows UI Section, now the general believe is he had got some MS pressure to abandon the project because it conflicts with MS decision to remove aero glass, and he might even have been warned not to post again in PCBeta.

"Windows 8 is not your normal low or even high impact major release of the OS," said Steve Kleynhans, research vice president at Gartner. "It's the start of a new era for Microsoft — the RT era — which follows the NT era, which began in 1993 and is just now starting to fade out. Microsoft eras seem to run about 20 years, so the technology underlying Windows 8 will last a long, long time."

God save us from the business/tech writers. New era? They ain't heard of CE and MIPS and PowerPC? They haven't seen Windows on cash registers? The x86 era is fading out? And what about that "NT to RT era" thing? Truly puke worthy, IMHO, articles like this from an alleged Wall Street writer simply reinforce the new media paradigm we are in, take it all with a grain of salt. The traditional media ( and not just for any given sector but all sectors of all industries ) is pretty much clueless about the topic they write about. This includes Sports writers, tech writers, political writers, health writers, anything at all. In many if not all cases, they are merely fans with an agenda, a quasi-advertisement or just ignorant magazine employees filling up space in a periodical. The future, and the present is in forums like this in the blogosphere where there is less hidden commercial interests behind an article and the facts and history are fleshed out through crowd sourcing.

Blah, blah article. Good comments over there though, informing the young n00bs that this is just old hat. Microsoft is not only NOT breaking any new ground, but they are re-visiting well trod turf fully explored for over 40 years. Their mistake is thinking that for all these many years we have been ignorant computer users using our mice and keyboards and it will take someone like Microsoft to begin a new paradigm, touching our screens for hours on end. Like many of the commenters I also used light pen terminals in the 1970's and colorful high-end GUI touch CRT workstations by the mid-1980's. They had specific uses and manual interaction was kept to a minimum by design. It seems very difficult for some to understand the ramifications of constant reaching. For example touch-screen ATM's make perfect sense, they are okay for McDonald's and other cashiers too because those people are not planted permanently at those stations. But they are entirely inappropriate for constant use. The Windows EULA will soon have a waiver prohibiting ergonomic lawsuits, I guarantee it.

I would argue that 10-years is not "impossibly old" but it's quite a fun read even though the person makes some beginner mistakes and should stick to using computers and not building them. Strangely enough, he is actually embarrassed by showing off his 2002'ish megabuild using a flashy case and extremely high spec'd parts for the time ( like a 3.4 GHz Northwood! ) ...

Okay, I know: It's an ugly case. But I built this machine when I was younger and more prone to admire tacky garishness. The good news is that you can't order one of these enclosures any longer. You can pay good money for custom case painting, but this kind of psychedelic silk-screening seems to be unavailable in 2012. That's probably a good thing.

Case picture at article ...

He ended up swapping out the Mobo and CPU for a later one with a Pentium D, the problem was apparent lack of DEP on the Northwood, and because Microsoft seems to require this for Windows 8, there is no way they can say with a straight face: "works fine on any computer that runs Windows 7". Planned obsolescence again if you ask me and CPU and motherboard manufacturers sure won't complain.

EDIT: typo

Edited September 25, 2012 by CharlotteTheHarlot

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from what I read on MDL, the Chinese guy won't release an Aero Glass patch

the guy is commonly known by PCBeta members and admins that he is working in Windows UI Section, now the general believe is he had got some MS pressure to abandon the project because it conflicts with MS decision to remove aero glass, and he might even have been warned not to post again in PCBeta.

That certainly cannot be ruled out considering the mystery of the Fixing Windows 8 Blog. I would love to know if they got to him. No amount of googling seems to turn up anything. Doubtful that Bing'ng would be any better.

EDIT: typo

Edited September 25, 2012 by CharlotteTheHarlot

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Intel Corp. (INTC) Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini told employees in Taiwan that Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 8 operating system is being released before it’s fully ready, a person who attended the company event said.

:thumbup

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from what I read on MDL, the Chinese guy won't release an Aero Glass patch

the guy is commonly known by PCBeta members and admins that he is working in Windows UI Section, now the general believe is he had got some MS pressure to abandon the project because it conflicts with MS decision to remove aero glass, and he might even have been warned not to post again in PCBeta.

That certainly cannot be ruled it considering the mystery of the Fixing Windows 8 Blog. I would love to know if they got to him. No amount of googling seems to turn up anything. Doubtful that Bing'ng would be any better.

To follow up based on my 1984 exchange with jaclaz, we might say that Mike Bibik (the "Fixing Windows 8" guy) and the Chinese PCBeta guy have learned to love Big Brother Microsoft, and their deeds will soon go down the Memory Hole...

Since nobody seems to know what's going on with it, maybe I'll add to my Hosts file the Microsoft address that I reported on, and see if anything untoward happens.

--JorgeA

Edited September 25, 2012 by JorgeA

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"Windows 8 is not your normal low or even high impact major release of the OS," said Steve Kleynhans, research vice president at Gartner. "It's the start of a new era for Microsoft — the RT era — which follows the NT era, which began in 1993 and is just now starting to fade out. Microsoft eras seem to run about 20 years, so the technology underlying Windows 8 will last a long, long time."

Doesn't exactly allay the concern (expressed in this thread) that MS is heading towards a locked-down computing environment. Hmm, maybe this news is the reason that the Intel CEO's private remarks about Windows 8 just happened to get disclosed. "You ditch us, we'll badmouth you."

--JorgeA

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Intel Corp. (INTC) Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini told employees in Taiwan that Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 8 operating system is being released before it’s fully ready, a person who attended the company event said.

Otellini said something incredulous ( note: probably not a direct quote, it is the reporter paraphrasing, which I despise ) ...

Releasing the operating system before it’s fully baked is the right move, and Microsoft can make improvements after it ships, Otellini told staffers.

Even if that is only the gist of what he said it still sucks. Maybe Intel could use some change of leadership as well since they are sure on another snooze cycle while AMD takes its time regrouping, again. Also from the article ...

“With over 16 million active preview participants, Windows 8 is the most tested, reviewed and ready operating system in Microsoft’s history,” said Mark Martin, a spokesman for Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft.

How about the most criticized? How about the most reviled? The most despised. The most villified. All that "16 million" number means is that folks ran the thing, but they're not listening to any of the feedback. Just the fact that they would parrot that number tells me that they are completely and utterly diving headlong in, like a stubborn drunk making for his car keys before he slams into a tree. We will be better off when the Wintel leadership is completely replaced. I'm still angry about the sudden change in the heat spreader ( Ivy Bridge ) causing higher temps in many circumstances, all to save a few bucks.

This is what happens where there is a lack of competition. In consumer class CPU's there is a little but AMD takes a vacation every few years and so Intel takes a breather. In consumer Operating Systems there is practically no competition, and after they have cleared the field of all competitors through their backroom OEM deals and planned obsolescence Redmond comes up with turds like Windows 8 and Metro.

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Well, let's try not to confuse Freedom (which is one thing) with Privacy amd Security (which are other things).

The three are interrelated. To take an example that we'll all (hopefully) be familiar with, in George Orwell's 1984 the protagonist, Winston Smith, lacked both freedom and security because there was no privacy -- all he did and said was monitored, or reported.

Now, I'm not saying that Microsoft is (yet) monitoring everything we type and everywhere we go on our computers -- but I am asking what the meaning (if any) might be of what that guy on MDL had discovered.

--JorgeA

Yes , that is called Science Fiction, it didn't (yet) happen, as well as Minority Report and the pre-crime do not yet exist, nor Blade Runner, and Skynet didn't - seemingly - gain self-awareness on August 29, 1997. (but if - by any chance - your real name is John Connor, you'd better start to run ).

jaclaz

The example may be from a novel, which I selected for universal understanding, but the point stands that privacy, freedom, and security and all related in the real world. And waiting 'til it happens -- by then it's too late, as my countrymen found out. Too many of them chose "security," and the only thing they guaranteed for themselves is that they would live in perpetual privation. As well as not free to undertake anything on their own, and constantly monitored by secret police and block committees.

But now we're way, way OT. OOOOT, even. I'd still like to hear from anyone who has some notion as to what (if anything) is going on with that unannounced Windows 8 connection to Microsoft.

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George Washington said: "Those who sacrifice a bit of privacy for more security deserves neither". He was/is/will be right always.

MS will pay a lot of money to have fans that will write the right stuff to promote their sh!t. Clueless people don't get it that it's not about OS anymore, it's about freedom of choice.

Yep , he also said (among many other things):

The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves.

Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.

Mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for their own government.

The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good.

The essence of my post is that things must be placed in context.

IF you think that Windows phoning home for validation is a treat to your freedom (and to your privacy and to your security) you may be right or wrong, and as Voltaire said:

I don't agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

BUT you need to touch the ground with your feet and understand how Windows 2000 was the last MS OS that doesn't phone home, and - as said - (and of course to my best knowledge ) the nature and amount of data exchanged is not different from what MS is receiving now from Windows 7.

BTW, in case you missed this piece of knowledge (having just awaken after a 20 years sleep à la Rip Van Winkle) you are ACTUALLY already tracked by at least:

your credit card payments

your browsing and searching on the Internet

your cellular phone

something that seems to me like much worse issues concerning privacy.

JFYI, Velostat seems effective to prevent other forms of depriving you of your freedom: